Hollyoaks star Duncan James is sharing the harrowing story of just how close he came to being paralysed following a serious injury.
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The Blue popstar had emergency surgery over a back injury this past summer, with complications leading to a second procedure later in the month.
Speaking to OK Magazine, Duncan said that doctors' quick-thinking only narrowly averted him losing feeling on half of his body.
"I'm still completely numb on my left side from my bottom to my foot. I have no feeling at all, but if I hadn't had surgery that day, I would now be paralysed and need a catheter for the rest of my life. I was very lucky," he told the magazine.
In spite of this horrific health crisis, the 38-year-old refused to step away from his debut on Hollyoaks as the charmer Ryan Knight.
"They've been so supportive but initially I was hobbling on set with a walking stick, doing a scene and then hobbling back off and laying down waiting for the next one," he recalled. "I'm a lot better than I was a week ago, and getting better all the time."
Duncan recently told Digital Spy the he initially feared he'd have to quit this brand new Hollyoaks role because the pain was so severe.
"Before I started filming, I was still getting pains in my head and was finding it really difficult to concentrate, so I rang up my doctor and I asked if I'd still be able to work," he recalled.
"He said, 'Ideally you need to rest for a few weeks, but you physically can't because you've got this commitment with Hollyoaks. You need to make the decision and I'll support it either way – as long as you take rests, you lie down when you've got the pain and you respect your body'.
"I said I wanted to do it, but I did have to think about it long and hard. I spoke about it with my mum and I questioned whether I could do it right now.
"My mum also came up to Liverpool with me for my first week, which was a huge support. She helped me with my bags and stuff like that, because I wasn't allowed to lift anything.
"The main thing was just that I really didn't want to end up back in hospital, because I've been there so many times already."
Hollyoaks airs weeknights at 6.30pm on Channel 4, with first look screenings at 7pm on E4.
Read the full story in this week's OK! Magazine - out today.
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